1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally concerns apparatus for coercive intervention--particularly batons and rugged flashlights --that are usable by law enforcement and like personnel to manipulate the environment, including human actors within the environment.
The present invention particularly concerns a flashlight that is especially rugged in each of its (i) bulb mounting and its (ii) positive on/of f actuation (particularly by a twisting motion) so as to be mountable at the end of a police baton and thereafter usable by the police for all normal functions of both (i) the baton and (ii) the flashlight.
2. Background of the Invention
A police baton, having ancient antecedents in the simple club, is a classic weapon within the police arsenal. Police are trained in use of the baton. The baton is a useful device variously facilitating the inspection of items, the guidance or signalling of persons including suspects and other police, and the use of force against persons and objects. Modern batons are often made of metal, and may be telescoping such as is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,752,072 issued Jun. 21, 1988, and 5,110,375 issued May 5, 1992.
Meanwhile, criminals have always sought the obscuring cloak of darkness, and criminal activity generally peaks at night. Many forms of criminal activity that are currently, circa 1992, prevalent in the United States of America involve trade in illegal drugs, or criminals who have ingested illegal drugs. Because of the illegality of selling or consuming illegal drugs, both sales and consumption are commonly conducted during the hours of darkness, and in locations that are poorly illuminated.
Still other, more traditional, criminal activities such as theft are common at night, and are commonly conducted with no or minimal illumination. Indeed, the crime of burglary was defined in the common law as unauthorized entrance into a dwelling house at night with an intention of thievery. This definition of the crime of burglary, and the severe punishments for its perpetration, recognize the special severity, and the special difficulties, of preventing or interdicting crime during the hours of darkness.
Because of the responsibilities of the police to curb criminal activity during darkness, and in dark places, special, rugged, flashlights are commonly issued to police. The police flashlight has considerably improved during recent decades. Modern police flashlight cases are strong, and may be suitably used as clubs. The emitted light is considerably brighter, and is often longer-lasting, than was previously the case. The advent of quartz-halogen light sources has particularly benefitted the police flashlight, which is, in certain cases, desired to emit a very bright, nearly blinding, light beam.
Police flashlights can, under certain circumstances, be used for signaling and for striking similarly to the uses of a police baton.
Possibly because of the potentially similar uses of a police baton and a police flashlight, and because of the similar tubular shapes and elongate aspect ratios of both devices, it has been from time to time suggested that the functions of the two devices might combined. The combination of a police baton and a police flashlight is an interesting concept in that it could potentially increase the utility of both the baton and the flashlight.
One unavoidable problem with the existing police flashlight, even one emitting a very bright light, is that the policeman holding the flashlight must identify his location. There is usually a time delay between a policeman's energizing of his/her flashlight and his/her visual fixation of any person or persons that may be within the flashlight's illuminating beam. There is a further time delay while the policeman, who may be attempting to aim his/her flashlight with a one hand while protecting himself/herself with a loaded weapon in the other hand, interprets the illuminated scene. During these time delays, which may be only momentary, the policeman is in jeopardy of being shot without warning by the party(ies) illuminated, or even by other parties who are still concealed by darkness.
Because of these obvious risks, and tensions, the literal shining of light on criminal activity is, in America circa 1992, a hazardous activity. If a flashlight could be located at the end of baton then a policeman could use the flashlight beam to illuminate suspicious activities or objects while the source of the light beam was more substantially distanced from the policeman's body. If an illumination from the beam of a flashlight at the end of a police baton were to elicit a hostile response then the policeman would already, and conveniently, be armed with at least the baton.
Alternatively, attachment or other integration of a flashlight with a baton facilitates and improves use of the flashlight because the flashlight may be more conveniently brought proximate to objects which are desired to be illuminated, or the flashlight may be inserted through small spaces into dark areas.
Whether a police baton is hypothesized to incorporate the function of a flashlight, or a police flashlight is hypothesized to be reconfigured so as to more substantially incorporate the function of a baton, any quality consolidation of the functions of both devices presents certain challenges.
A combination police baton and flashlight would desirably be fully as functionally capable as either a (i) police baton, or a (ii) police flashlight individually. In order to realize the baton function both the mechanical and electrical sections, including the bulb, of a flashlight must be so rugged, or hardened, so as to permit that the flashlight may be stuck against objects with great force without appreciable risk of failure. This must be accomplished without, in particular, making the electrical sections of a flashlight so large or so massive so as to detract from the normal aspect ratio, and balance, of a baton. Nonetheless to its occasional use for striking, a combination police baton and flashlight would desirably turn on and of f easily and reliably during all conditions and histories of use and misuse.
Conversely, in order to realize a the function of a flashlight, a baton, especially a lightweight collapsible telescoping baton, must incorporate, or be integrated with, the function of a flashlight without a degrading its essential purpose. This likely requires, in particular, that neither the weight, strength, balance, rigidity, hardness nor grip (finish) of the baton should be appreciably altered.
The present invention will be seen to concern certain improvements in flashlights. The improvements, although of general applicability to rugged flashlights such as are used by police, are particularly directed to making flashlights that are fully capable of being integrated with police batons in order to constitute a combination baton-and-flashlight apparatus, and weapon, having excellent characteristics, and effectiveness, in both its baton and its flashlight functions.